The PPP on Thursday said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had a phone call in which they discussed the “country’s prevailing political situation”, according to a PPP statement.
The coalition allies have been trading barbs over how the PPP and PML-N have been providing aid to victims of the recent floods. The bad blood escalated to the point that leaders from both sides hold daily press conferences to take potshots at each other.
In a post on X, the PPP confirmed the telephone call had taken place and that the country’s political situation, foreign policy and flood aid were among the topics of discussion.
The war of words between the two sides expanded to water rights[1] on the Indus River as Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif told the PPP leadership to keep its advice to itself.
Last week, she said at a public address that she would not apologise for her remarks and censured the PPP for hurling “wrongful criticism” at the Punjab government over its handling of the floods.
In response, the PPP, the ruling party in Sindh, has had lawmakers walk out[2] of the National Assembly and Senate sittings to protest the diatribe.
Concerted efforts[3] have been made by leading figures, such as the PM and President Asif Ali Zardari[4], who have stepped in to defuse tensions, with the latter also calling on Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to play his role for a possible rapprochement.
More to follow
References
- ^ water rights (www.dawn.com)
- ^ walk out (www.dawn.com)
- ^ Concerted efforts (www.dawn.com)
- ^ President Asif Ali Zardari (www.dawn.com)